Pipeline to Woodfibre LNG to see late August construction start

BC utility FortisBC said August 8 it expected to begin construction of its Eagle Mountain-Woodfibre Gas Pipeline project (EGP) on or after August 28.

The project will expand FortisBC’s existing transmissions system to deliver natural gas to the Woodfibre LNG site southwest of Squamish. Woodfibre LNG, a 2.1mn tonnes/year liquefaction project by Canada’s Pacific Energy and Enbridge, is expected to start construction in September.

Initial works on EGP will include mobilising equipment and materials, setting up construction offices and fencing, preparing construction work sites, laydown and staging areas, building access roads, flagging and vegetation and tree clearing.

EGP consists of a 38-kilometre, 24-inch pipeline from near Coquitlam, BC to near Squamish. A nine-kilometre tunnel under the Squamish Estuary will take the pipeline to the Woodfibre LNG project site at Swiy’at, on Squamish Nation traditional territories.

Other pipeline components include the twinning of existing FortisBC gas pipeline in Coquitlam and the relocation of existing pipeline in the District of Squamish. 

Two electric-drive compressor units will be added to the existing Eagle Mountain compressor station in Coquitlam and a new gas-turbine powered compressor station will be built at Swiy’at to provide capacity for FortisBC deliveries to customers further up the Sunshine Coast and to Vancouver Island.

FortisBC expects to complete the project in 2026, a spokesman told NGW.